One Iced-and-Gingered Man, Please.

The classic white Christmas waited until the last possible moment (Christmas Day itself) to finally made an appearance. Though inches of the chilly white stuff isn't required for decorating a batch of the crunchy and spicy cookie, it added a lovely atmosphere. Dark molasses creates a gorgeous rich cookie color that makes creamy white royal icing the perfect medium to dabble in. Self proclaimed icing artist aside, I felt these little masterpieces turned out just pretty enough to eat.

 Gingerbread seemed to scream"holiday break" and with the fluffy white stuff falling from the sky it seemed the perfect afternoon activity. I phoned a good friend my high school to make her way up for a good chit chat. Gingerbread decorating fosters a good backdrop for catching up on past memories. Chatting about future plans, we iced the afternoon away (and had our fair share of munching on the mistakes).  Thin and crispy, these little men cause much less drama than the combined (less than savory) real life dates myself and Ms. K have experienced as of late. I'll take a snowed-in chat with a friend with a cookie...or several, please.

Roast. Sugar and Spice. Puree. Spread. Spread on Everything.

Stretching out the last bit of fall constitutes taking advantage of a trip to the orchard for some apples, and some winter squashes - Jonathon and butternuts to be precise. The Jonathons have another destination, but that squash was going to meet its end in the form of pumpkin butter. And it's about as good as it sounds.  Found on food52, I could barely wait for Friday to come to make it. Crank up your oven, and roast that squash until tender, resisting the urge to eat it hot and steaming straight from the pan with a spoon.  (That can come later, but this squash has a delightful chance to become something better...Shocking, I know.)   Scoop out the flesh and add more than enough cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and brown sugar, and butter for good measure.  Roast again-this recipe really tests your patience. In between reading assignments and writing that big senior paper, be sure to stir that mix every few minutes or so and evenly distribute the caramel color that deepens as time goes by.  Whirl through the food processor and fill a big quart sized mason jar with this spread.  As good as it was on a spoon, a hot-from-the-oven bagel (slathered with the stuff) was a better vehicle.

Note- this is also delicious stirred into oatmeal, shmeared on toast, and I anticipate, nearly anything else. Quintessentially fall, this packs handsomely and was much appreciated by fellow foodie friends...the bit that I was willing to share.                                                                                        

Cheerio, She's London Bound

Goodbyes are such a bother. How to bid adieu to your roommate, concert companion, fellow Beatles enthusiast, and fashionista sister?  18 months is a terribly long time to be away on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but 18 months serving in London, England has to be second best to spending time with her sisters, right?  Today was farewell for Sister S., and was it tough.  Perhaps rougher knowing that she will miss the alt-J concert to hit Salt Lake a month after she leaves, but maybe that isn't the reason we were all tearful.  Though its sad to see her go, I'm thrilled to doodle her letters and hear of her adventures and various culinary escapades (she is rather picky when it comes to food). But most of all, I can't wait to see her next spring...In London, of course.  Why wouldn't this be a good excuse to visit Big Ben?

Front and Center, is that lucky sister missionary, missed dearly by sisters on the right and left, and "cousin" bookends